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For non-revenue moves at some restricted speed, the wheel profile issue probably isn't physically a blocker. From 1924 to 1952, East Boston Tunnel (now Blue Line) trains only had a small maintenance facility at Maverick. For heavier work, they were operated on ex-streetcar trackage from the Joy...

The semi-annual accessibility update is out: https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2023-06/2023-06-05-swa-initiatives-june-2023-accessible.pdf Just about everything has slipped a quarter or two since the December update. Highlights since the last update: Beginning of construction at Newton...

Well, it opens tomorrow: https://www.mbta.com/news/2023-06-09/glx-community-path-open-june-10

Fairmount Line is at 130% of pre-COVID ridership: https://www.mbta.com/news/2023-06-02/fairmount-line-ridership-reaches-new-all-time-high-fairmount-ridership-130-pre They don't give actual numbers, but based on figures from previous MBTA board meetings, 130% would be around 3,500 daily...

From this 1892 engineering journal article: https://archive.org/details/journalofassoci111892asso/page/500/mode/2up The Wikipedia article that I wrote should be a decent overview as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stony_Brook_(Charles_River_tributary,_Boston)

Blue Line was looked at in the 2003 PMT: https://www.ctps.org/data/pdf/studies/transit/PMT-2003.pdf (See pages 5C-33, 5C-37) Blue was estimated at twice the capital cost of Green because of the need to tunnel from Bowdoin to Lechmere. That was also a direct alignment that missed Charles/MGH and...

Interesting question! My first thought was it had something to do with the old Stony Brook canal, which followed what is now Forsyth Way from 1889 to 1905. However, it was fully filled in, and clearly did not stop construction of the MFA on the opposite side. (Compare to the older conduit...

I'm glad to see they're thinking about improving access to existing stations (bullets 3, 4, and 7).

Gotcha, that makes sense. So this is really two different projects - Jackson to RX serving the T22, and RX to Ruggles serving the T15 and T23.

I'm excited to see these lanes, but the lack of a transfer between the 22 and 66 isn't great.

That sounds good to me. SF has one per door, and sometimes it's an awkward reach on a crowded train.

Arlington Heights - Lexington - Route 128 would be the obvious phasing. But I just can't imagine anything beyond Lexington (or honestly, Arlington Heights) managing to be worthwhile compared to the multitude of denser areas in the region. There's just not much there beyond Arlington Heights, and...

"Shawmut" came into use in 1884, when two separate stations were merged. Served as a commuter rail station until 1926, then reopened as a rapid transit station in 1928. I can't imagine any real justification for changing a 140-year old station name when nothing has changed in the area to need...

From my experience, there aren't a lot of times when a train doesn't make a flag stop. Especially midday and early evening, there's almost always at least one person getting on or off. Better to make it a regular stop and have more predictable travel times.

The spring commuter rail schedule change is May 22: https://www.mbta.com/news/2023-05-16/commuter-rail-springsummer-schedule-take-effect-may-22 Mostly minor adjustments to schedules. The $10 weekend pass is now valid on federal holidays, and many flag stops converted to regular stops...

I think a completely new Bowdoin station approximately centered on Staniford would be worthwhile. It would be reasonable station spacing for downtown.

Here is what Wikipedia lists for current BEMU operators: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_multiple_unit Australia: one converted heritage car; modern streetcars on one system Austria: one test set introduced in 2019 Denmark: 113 units ordered in 2022 after testing a small number...

This morning, a truck carrying heating oil struck a disabled car on the southbound span of the Gold Star bridge, which carries I-95 between Groton and New London, Connecticut. 2,200 gallons of oil spilled, massive fire, span closed for potentially days to weeks depending on damage. Sadly, the...

Crayon map of an interurban bus system based on my list above: Western MA: North Bennington-Bennington-Williamstown-North Adams-Charlemont-Shelburne Falls-Greenfield North Adams-Adams-Cheshire-Pittsfield-Lenox-Stockbridge-Great Barrington-Sheffield-North Canaan...

As I wrote elsewhere: Widett Circle is a terrible place for any useful development. It's cut off by an elevated highway on one side, and rail lines and industrial parcels on the other. There's not a walkable or bus-friendly street grid to connect to. It's a minimum half mile walk to the Red...